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#1
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Is anyone on RO familiar with the book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids: Sex
and Deception in Plant Evolution--? I ordered a copy from Amazon, and would appreciate any opinions of it from others who have read it. J. Del Col |
#2
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
I may be biased in that I helped with the book in some small way (my name is in there as having helped with locating some obscure information), but it's really very good. Dr. Alcock is a professor at Arizona State who specializes in animal behavior; extended to the "hammer orchids" of Australia, he turned some sabbatical time into a book on the subject of insects and their interactions with orchids. It's a highly recommended read, and the professor writes a heck of a good piece. He's spoken to our orchid society twice (once before and once after publication of his latest book), and his presentations were wonderful. Dr. Alcock has also written several other books, including texts on sociobiology and animal behavior. Good stuff. The address in the header is not valid. Send no email there. -AJHicks Chandler, AZ |
#3
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Aaron,
I'm interested in getting this book for my orchid society's library but I can't find a copy (except online) to judge how appropriate it would be. What's the focus of the book? From the editor's review I assume it focuses on the evolution of insect pollenation with respect to orchids that employ pseudocopulation, particularly those from WA. Is it primarily aboutorchid/pollenator relationship between Drakaea and thynnine wasps or does it extend to other genera of Australian orchids? Is it just about pseudocopulation or does it extend to other mechanisms of pollenation. To what extent would you call it an orchid book (or is it an insect/evolution book that just uses orchids as an example). If you could shed any light on this it would be much appreciated. Andrew |
#4
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Aaron Hicks wrote: I may be biased in that I helped with the book in some small way (my name is in there as having helped with locating some obscure information), but it's really very good. Dr. Alcock is a professor at Arizona State who specializes in animal behavior; extended to the "hammer orchids" of Australia, he turned some sabbatical time into a book on the subject of insects and their interactions with orchids. It's a highly recommended read, and the professor writes a heck of a good piece. He's spoken to our orchid society twice (once before and once after publication of his latest book), and his presentations were wonderful. Dr. Alcock has also written several other books, including texts on sociobiology and animal behavior. Good stuff. Thanks very much. I am looking forward to getting my copy. J. Del Col |
#6
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
This showed up as a blank message.
-danny "Aaron Hicks" wrote in message ... |
#7
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Aaron Hicks wrote:
As Danny mentioned, your post showed up as a blank message for me as well. I don't suppoe you could repost it as I'm interested in your input. Andrew |
#8
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Sorry about that blank message, guys. And, tragically, all that
work I put into the original post is now gone. Even trn didn't save it like it's supposed to. Darned electrons bit me in the butt again. But! To answer the questions as best I can: Dr. Alcock's book is part van der Pijl and Dodson's "Orchid Flowers: Their Pollination and Evolution," part Chuck Darwin's "Various Contrivances," part insect behavioralism, and a good dose of a skilled writer's sabbatical jaunt through Western Australia. In that sense, it's not entirely an orchid book, but it's also not entirely a wasp book. If you enjoy the (non-technical and entertaining) work of David Quammen, you'll like what Alcock has to say on the subject. It is not a several-hundred-page diatribe on the interactions between Drakaea and the wasps that pollinate them, although they do play a strong role in the book. In his presentations I have attended (both while he was writing this particular book and immediately after his publication), he had some wonderful notes about all sorts of WA flora, not just the orchids. So. Big on "casual" audience, great for springtime reading, and very educational. Hope THIS message makes it through. The email address in the header isn't valid. Send no mail there. Cheers, -AJHicks Chandler, AZ |
#9
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Andrew wrote: Aaron, Is it primarily aboutorchid/pollenator relationship between Drakaea and thynnine wasps or does it extend to other genera of Australian orchids? Is it just about pseudocopulation or does it extend to other mechanisms of pollenation.... I'm reading my copy now, and I can answer a couple of your questions. The book discusses several different genera of WA orchids, as well as non-WA orchids, and covers a couple of means of pollination, though pseudocopulation is the main emphasis. Alcock also discusses speciation and hybridization in WA orchids in the context of adaptive pollination strategies. Alcock writes very well. The book is illustrated with excellent photographs and is very attractively designed. Alcock's main subject is adaptive evolution. He uses orchids to support his ideas, much the way Darwin did in his book on orchids. J. Del Col |
#10
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Book --An Enthusiasm for Orchids--
Thanks Aaron. Sounds like it's worth considering
Andrew. |
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